12/05/2017 BBC Newsline

A Londonderry businessman who played a key role in the peace process

Brendan Duddy spent more than two decades acting as an intermediary

between the IRA's Army Council and British intelligence.

His Derry home was used as a venue for secret meetings.

Here's our North-West reporter, Keiron Tourish.

This was a rare glimpse into the secret life of a two-year-old

Brendan Duddy. The official handover of his private papers to Galway

University five years ago. Documenting his work during the

Troubles. The prominent dairy businessman who had suffered a

stroke in 2010 had been helping to build the peace process since the

1970s. The father of six was the subject of a major documentary by

BBC journalist Peter Taylor. He has been reporting on Northern Ireland

for many decades. He revealed that the more than 20 years, Brendan

Duddy was a secret intermediary between individuals the British

security services and the IRA's bowling Council through Martin

McGuinness. It was claimed those contacts ultimately led to the IRA

ceasefire and Good Friday Agreement. The first thing to do was to replace

the bombings and the killings with dialogue. It seems simple but that

was the essence of everything, dialogue. And every day of peace was

a life saved. This is a simple room in a simple family house. This is

where it all happened. One man who played a similar role as an

intermediary between the IRA and the British Government says Brendan

Duddy's rule was significant. From the early days, I do remember him

saying it is inevitable, it is necessary, it is a must that the

British must talk to the IRA and the IRA must talk to the British, so I

think his biggest legacy is that his analysis was correct and his

persistency ultimately came to the place he thought it would. Many

observers believe that ultimately it is the work done away from the glare

of publicity that helps establish and maintain a peace process. The

full extent of the significant role of Brendan Duddy may never be known

publicly. Tony Blair has warned that

a hard border after Brexit But the former prime minister

has said he believes there is a consensus in British

politics to avoid that outcome. Mr Blair was addressing a group

of MEPs in County Wicklow, a meeting also attended by the EU's

chief Brexit negotiator Here's our economics and business

editor, John Campbell. Few prime ministers have devoted as

much time to Ireland as Tony Blair. His policies culminated in the

signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Now he says he is

extremely anxious to make sure Brexit doesn't imperil that

agreement. There is a really common desire whenever other issues are in

relation to Brexit to make Northern Ireland a special case and make sure

that we do everything we possibly can to protect the Good Friday

Agreement, the peace process, and to protect that strong relationship

between the Republic of Ireland and the UK going forward. Thank you very

much. Among Mr Blair's audience was the EU's Brexit negotiator, Michel

Barnier. Later, Michel Barnier headed to Monaghan, do hear the

concerns of businesses and community leaders. Yesterday, he said there

would have to be some form of customs controls after Brexit.

Nobody wants to see the return of disruptive checks like these. There

are hopes a so-called smart border, using technology in like numberplate

recognition can be put in place, but Michel Barnier says he does not have

any answers yet and is still listening to ideas. Let us work, let

us work. I need to do work. We need to find a solution, technical and

operational solutions. He added that he appreciates how serious Brexit is

for the agricultural and food industries. They stand to be worst

affected by any new tariffs. One of the food exporters he met said his

concerns appeared to have been taken on board. He certainly appeared very

open-minded. He engaged fully with all of the participants that I have

to say he was not here to offer solutions, but he was listening to

the people and he wanted us to engage with them and offer solutions

for people in Ireland and particularly in the border region.

So Michel Barnier's visit has ended without is learning much about what

Brexit will really mean for the border. But we will be hearing a lot

more from him over the next couple of years.

A man who murdered a west Belfast student and amateur boxer has been

34-year-old Turkish national Orhan Koca,

of no fixed address, admitted killing Eamon Magee Junior.

He died after being stabbed in the chest and stomach

He had been hoping to follow in the footsteps of his father,

The families of ten people shot dead by the army in west Belfast in 1971

have welcomed the setting of a date for a full inquest into the deaths.

The hearing into the Ballymurphy killings will begin in September

next year and is expected to last three months.

That is for the work that needs to be done and for families like

yourselves that have waited all these years, closure is what they

have been campaigning for and we hope that our loved ones will be

declared innocent. Sport, and the main day's racing

at the North West 200 will take place tomorrow -

but one fan favourite One team not competing tomorrow is

Honda Racing, who have withdrawn because of John McGuinness's crash.

We are joined by our expert, Steve Parrish. Steve, big problems for

them. Yes, very much so. Bearing in mind their track record here, they

have had so much success year and it is really bad. Initially, it came to

your broken his leg and it was a compound fracture of his lower leg

and he also has two broken vertebrae is, three broken ribs, and he is

banged up. Begley, the safety features you at the North West 200

have got a lot better and he will be making a full recovery. Yes, best

wishes to him. What kind of day are we expecting tomorrow? A

barnstormer. How jihad is something to prove as does Glenn Irwin, riding

the big Ducati. It just goes on. There is an enormous field of very

fast riders and conditions were good for tomorrow and I am very excited.

I probably will not sleep tonight. OK, Steve, thank you very much. You

can see it all live on the BBC sport website and on the BBC Facebook page

and also commentary on BBC Radio Ulster.

Ballymena United have scored a victory. Although the goals arrived

in the second half of the game. Only four Glenn Aven to equalise when

Bruce Marshall reacted first to volley home for close range. Kevin

Brummitt was the hero as time ticked down, the substitute scoring against

his former club. He put them into the European competition for the

first time in 28 years. Internat's relegation play-off, Carrick Rangers

preserve their top-flight status, decent eating Institute for having

one. Coming up next week...BBC

Newsline's Mark Simpson tells us the inside story of the recent

return to Mauritius, Six years after Michaela McAreavy

was murdered, her family are still seeking justice. There are things

that will stay with me for the rest of my life. So they came here, many

miles from home. They appealed to the people of Mauritius for help.

They put pressure on politicians, and they returned to the scene of

the crime. And that's on BBC One

Northern Ireland next Onto the weekend weather forecast

now, with Cecilia Daly. Hello there. It is a bit of a mixed

bag this weekend. There will be some rain at times, particularly on

Saturday, some damp weather to start with. It improves and brightens up

but then there will be more showers later on. On Sunday, Sun sank to

begin with but some scattered showers in the afternoon. Blustery

at times. It will not be a cold wind. Not much win night but wet at

times. Bring living from east to west. Low cloud and mist over the

hills and also in parts of the east coast. It is a mild night so it will

stay mild into Saturday morning, but also dull and damp to begin with.

The rain will become patchy as well. Damp weather to begin with tomorrow,

if you are heading to the North West 200, bear striking up as the day

goes on. Showers before the afternoon is finished. Let's look at

the bigger picture. Cloudy with rain across parts of Scotland and

northern England. Right across the Republic of Ireland, Wales, and

Central and southern counties of England. More cloud with showery

rain over south-west Ireland and that will also come northwards later

in the day. Or the Balmoral show, it looks damp to begin with but then

becoming drier and brighter. Showers later in the day. Writers guys, with

some dry weather for a time tomorrow before some more showers develop in

the day. Most of that wet weather will cleared through by Sunday

morning, leading some sunshine and just a few showers on Sunday

afternoon. That is it until 615 tomorrow evening. Good night.